Jeremy Casey

Justin Edinburgh admits he is cursing his luck after seeing two key players suffer serious injuries in his first week as Cobblers boss, but says he and the rest of the squad simply ‘have to deal with it’.

Sam Hoskins was ruled out for the season last Thursday after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury in training, and then on Saturday top scorer Alex Revell picked up a calf strain in the 5-3 defeat at Milton Keynes Dons that is set to see him sidelined until the end of February.

Alex Revell is out injured for four to six weeks

They are injuries that Edinburgh obviously could have done without as he tries to make his mark at Sixfields after taking over from Rob Page, but he accepts such incidents are part of the game and that the pair’s misfortune opens the door for somebody else to shine.

“I don’t know if I knocked a cat over on my way here,” quipped Edinburgh, when asked about the double injury blow.

“It has been a difficult six or seven days. We lost Sammy in training on Thursday, and then Alex in the game, so that is two big, big players.

“We know that Sammy is out for the season now, and Revs for four to six weeks, but we have to deal with it.

It has been a difficult six or seven days. We lost Sammy in training on Thursday, and then Alex in the game, so that is two big, big players

Cobblers boss Justin Edinburgh

“We have Rico (Marc Richards) and Keshi (Anderson) that are top players, so it is an opportunity for them, and when one door closes, another one opens for somebody else.

“That is the way the group have to look at it, and when they get their chance they have to grasp it and make sure they stake a claim and stay in the team.”

Edinburgh then went on to explain what happened to Hoskins at Moulton College, revealing his injury was a ‘freak accident’.

“Sammy got his leg caught in another one of the lads’ legs, and it is just a bizarre incident,” said the Cobblers boss.

Sam Hoskins has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury

“As they went to turn, one went one way, one went the other and it was just a freak accident that is really unfortunate.

“I feel for Sammy and the group, but we have to overcome that.

“When Sammy went down he was in a lot of pain, so you guessed it was a serious injury which was later confirmed.”

The Town boss is also in no doubt that Hoskins will recover fully from an injury that not too long ago seriously endangered a player’s career.

Cobbles boss Justin Edinburgh

“Sammy is seeing a specialist this week, and if all is okay then hopefully he will be operated on on Wednesday,” said Edinburgh.

“He will be fine. He is a fit boy, and he will have a target in his head, that he can perhaps get back for the end of pre-season and be ready for the start of next season.”

As well as being without Hoskins and Revell, Edinburgh is also waiting on the return of another key Cobblers player in rampaging right-back Brendan Moloney.

The Irishman has been out of action since injuring his knee in the derby defeat to Peterborough United back in November, but is finally closing in on a return.

“Brendan went to see the specialist on Friday, and he had a little bit of swelling that wasn’t moving, so he had that drained from his knee,” revealed Edinburgh.

“He had some cortisone injected in, and that has freed up the range of movement in his knee, so he is now stepping up his recovery which looks positive. I guess he will be two weeks away from being ready.”

On the plus side for Edinburgh, Paul Anderson (knee), Rod McDonald (back) and Aaron Phillips (hamstring) are all expected to be fit and available for this weekend’s crunch clash with Coventry City at Sixfields.